K Rizz

K Rizz came out of Atlanta in the early 2000s with a sound that mixed hip-hop with international rhythms. Their 2004 track "If It Ain't Foreign It's Borin'" became something of an anthem for that approach, with its title making a blunt statement about where they thought interesting music came from.

They put out a few albums in those years, including Foreign Exchange in 2003 and Global Domination in 2006. Their lyrics often took on social issues and mainstream culture, which drew criticism from some corners about their perspective and place in hip-hop.

What they were doing, bringing global sounds into their music and talking openly about diversity, connected with listeners who were looking for something different. It wasn't always smooth, but it gave them a particular spot in that era's conversation.